Iraqi police probe confrontation at Maysan engineers' protest

Shafaq News- Maysan

Maysan police on Monday launched an investigation after reports emerged of confrontations between graduate engineers and security forces during a protest outside the Maysan Oil Company, with videos circulating on social media showing the gathering being dispersed.

According to the police command, the gathering, organized by dozens of graduates demanding jobs in the oil sector following the withdrawal of foreign companies from the province, disrupted access to the company. Authorities intervened to restore normal operations, and the situation was quickly brought under control without injuries.

While reaffirming its rejection of any abuse against citizens and its commitment to protecting demonstrators, the command said it had formed an investigative committee to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and urged direct dialogue with protest representatives to discuss their demands.

The development comes days after the Iraq Center for Human Rights called for an immediate investigation into alleged abuse of graduate protesters in Baghdad after images showed demonstrators being mistreated during a protest near the Green Zone.

Official figures show that nearly 250,000 students graduate each year from Iraq's public universities and institutes, excluding private colleges. Public-sector hiring has largely remained frozen since October 2025, when the Federal Service Council ordered ministries, state institutions, and provincial authorities to halt recruitment across centrally funded and self-financed entities.